


When The Stars Divide

by Ghostsenpaii (orphan_account)



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon), Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Crossover, Dimension Travel, Fights, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi, Steven Universe Season 5 Spoilers, Voltron: Legendary Defender Season/Series 07
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-06-26 06:00:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15657195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Ghostsenpaii
Summary: Things go south for the Crystal Gems on Homeworld, and a decision White Diamond makes might cost the team a valuable member. But when all hope is lost, things go dark, and they find themselves back at Earth. But Earth wasn't how they left it, and it's undergone more than a few changes. After finding their footing in this new dimension, they must team up with unlikely allies to solve both of their problems; and protect both of their universes.





	1. Drifting

**Author's Note:**

> This story was thought up on the spot based on the thought I had that a crossover between these two shows would probably work out better than I thought. But as the end of Steven Universe season 5 just happened and Voltron season 7 just came out, I figured both were ideal points to build a detailed story off of. Hopefully I'll continue this story to a satisfying end!
> 
> As a side-note, I put all dialogue in bolded text for those who don't like reading large blurbs of detail. It also becomes easier to read, as the spoken words don't blend into the descriptive phrasing. I can always remove the bold speech if wanted, but for now, it's easier to read!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to Homeworld quickly goes south as the Crystal Gems find themselves in a very sticky situation.

**"Steven!"**

The word echoed in his head, fuzzy and distant. Where was he? What was going on? Everything was dark and cold. He felt like he was struggling through quicksand, unable to move and avoid the inevitable. His head pounded like a ferocious wind against the sea, and a high-pitched ringing blocked out anything he might've heard. How had he ended up like this? Why was it so... empty?

 _ **"Steven!"**_ the voice called out again, a little stronger this time.

He fought against the rising tide of darkness in his head, pushing it back, struggling desperately to move, to get up. He pushed against it with all of his might, reaching a hand out into the darkness. The darkness began to disperse, and slowly, finally, he regained consciousness. He cracked open his eyes, and a harsh, white light flooded his senses.

The first thing Steven noted was he wasn't on the ground. The second thing he noted was he was bound by some invisible force. The third was the crowd. If he craned his neck down from where he hovered, suspended, he could see countless gems, moving in a writhing and raucous crowd below. Gems made from various colonies, including Earth, made up the crowd, wherein they formed the expected Diamond Authority symbol. The noise rose up to his position in the air from below, but the sound almost felt distorted. Steven couldn't make out their words.

He glanced around as best he could with what invisible force was restricting his limbs from most movement, trying to see what was going on. Where were the others? He'd come with the Crystal Gems, Connie, Blue, and Yellow, the latter two of which would be far more noticeable than the others. Squinting his eyes, he strained to see farther than the piercing lights in the area allowed, to see where they had landed. Low and behold, his mom's ship was still there. But his friends were not.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd, and a cold chill crept down Steven's spine. A looming shadow had draped itself over him from behind, and he didn't need to turn around to know who was casting such a presence. The crowd's activity said it all. White Diamond was here. He felt his body move against his own will to face the eldest Diamond. Her pale, piercing gaze settled upon his small frame, causing Steven to gulp and resist the urge to run. This was someone he could not reason with. This is someone who would not be swayed by emotions. This was his worst enemy.

 **"Why, hello, Starlight. You came to! That's wonderful. I was hoping you wouldn't miss out on the fun. That is your favorite thing."** the Diamond stated, all charm and polite, her facial expression never wavering for a second.

Steven struggled against the invisible shackles that kept him in place. **"I-uh, what's going on?"** He was never sure what to say to her. She intimidated him, and it always felt like she was staring directly into his soul. Never talking to him, but to his mother- to Pink Diamond.

 **"Oh, that is right. You were out for a good while. Then, I should explain."** she said, her smile growing a bit wider. With a flick of her hand, whatever was suspending Steven lifted him up to White's eye level, and she gave him an icy stare, the pleasant expression never changing. **"Well, I need to punish you, of course. For your latest little game, Pink. You did give us quite the scare! And we lost so much time to this little game you wanted to play. So many gems were lost, so much time wasted. We do have rules as the Diamond Authority, and you did go against the purpose of building a colony."** she seemed to chide, but it was hard to tell what she was thinking.

Steven's brows furrowed, and he struggled against the bonds once more. **"But I didn't know any of your 'rules'! I'm not my mom, as I keep telling you guys! I'm Steven! I just... can we talk about this?"** he pleaded, raising a brow. This was going too fast for him to process. He knew he had to look after whatever lingering problems lay around that Pink had created, but he wasn't about to let himself be punished for it. He didn't want another Trial incident. He was done giving himself up to possibly go away forever. He wasn't about to let White Diamond punish him for something he didn't even do.

White's face never changed, but the atmosphere did. It got colder. More rigid. She blinked down at Steven, the smile never fading. **"Nonsense, Pink. You're still my Starlight. You're just continuing the game by staying holed up in this organic form you chose,"** she mused, tipping her head slightly. **"And we already did talk about it. Before you left to start your own colony. Now, enough for the delays. Our subjects are awaiting their Diamond to return, after all. If you're not willing to remove this disguise, I will do it for you."**

At her last comment, Steven's eyes widened. He understood. Whatever games Pink had played before paled in comparison to her leaving the Diamond Authority. For causing the Gem War. For becoming half of him. This was insurrection, and she wanted punishment. And she was going to start by removing his gem. Steven wasn't sure what would happen if his gem was removed, but he had thought of it before. It never turned out well. If he had to guess, he would die.

He couldn't let that happen.

Steven began struggling against the invisible binds, thinking of forming his bubble to get rid of the force. But the harder he struggled, the tighter the restrictions became, and the more he wore himself out. White reached out a hand, moving it closer to where his gem lay in his stomach. She was going to do it. He was going to die here.

A noise from the crowd startled Steven, distracting him from the oncoming doom. It seemed to bother White Diamond as well, as her hand halted, feet away from making the connection. Steven had little time to wonder what the commotion was about before it became obvious what it was. A smile of relief flooded his expression, and he felt tears come to his eyes. From the back of the crowd, several bright flashes of light came. Then a roar, and shaking. With a pop, Lion skidded to a halt on the stage below, Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, and Connie on his back. The four slid off, immediately ready for battle. Garnet summoned her gauntlets, Amethyst her whip, Pearl her spear, and the gem turned to give Connie a sword. Then, from the sides, Yellow and Blue emerged, looking thoroughly unamused at what was going on. Steven didn't need to be in a mindscape to perceive their aura; they were livid. The team assembled below and to the sides of him, and Steven couldn't be happier. He found himself unable to call out to them, to form words, with a restraint now placing itself against his neck. But his expression surely said it all. He was relieved they were here.

Garnet stared up at White Diamond, a look of defiance on her face. **"White Diamond! We will not allow this injustice to continue!"** she declared, banging her gauntlets together. Behind her, Amethyst, Pearl, and Connie moved closer, nodding their agreement.

 **"White, we should talk about this,"** Blue reasoned, hiding a slightly panicked look behind carefully chosen words. **"Hasn't Pink been punished enough? She was stranded on that horrible planet, Earth, for thousands of years with corrupted gems."**

 **"And from what this... new Pink has been saying, he doesn't possess Pink's memories. He wouldn't know better. And the punishment should be decided by all three of us, not just by you."** Yellow added, arms folded.

Any normal person would be intimidated when faced with the Crystal Gems and two Diamonds. But White Diamond had been around longer than all of them. Had made most of them. Had given up emotions many millennia before. Most would cower with such opposition. White Diamond wasn't fazed in the slightest. Instead, she moved her hand back a small bit, the smile and soul-staring eyes turned not to the Crystal Gems, but to her Diamonds. **"Well, you are right about one thing. She was stranded on that planet for a long time,"** she said, moving a step closer to her suspended prisoner, hand now inches away from Steven. **"However, I would kindly disagree to your other statements,"** she flashed that fake smile, a dazzling, bright thing. **"I've let her play these game for millennia. I've tolerated them. But this game has, frankly, been an eye-opener,"** she said smoothly, blinking slowly. **"It's about time I do something about these little games she's been staging. It's about time a proper punishment is placed, so that such abhorrent Gem loss can be prevented. We're low on resources, we live to conquer. Pink refused to follow her role. That is justifiable enough for my intervention,"** her voice softened a bit, and gained a wistful lilt. **"You two have grown soft. Maybe this will help set you back on the right path, just as it will with Pink."** and with that, she made the connection between her hand and Steven's gem.

Pain. That was all Steven could feel. Agonizing, painful fire seemed to burn at his insides and lace at his skin. His gem began to glow brightly, and pink, lacing patterns seemed to grow upwards from the gem, making shapes in Steven's skin. He couldn't hold it back anymore; he screamed, an anguished, tearing cry. The Crystal Gems were already attacking, doing their best to save their tortured family member. Blue and Yellow were beginning to enter the fray as well, making attempts to break past the defense White was using to do her business uninterrupted. Steven's vision began to blur, and his senses went haywire, before dying completely. He could feel himself slipping as the marks found their way to the top of his head and the bottom of his feet. He felt his gem move, and begin aligning itself upright, into it's original shape. Into its diamond shape.

Just as Steven was about to tear apart, just as he was starting to slip, something unexpected happened. He felt his gem send an outward surge that effectively pushed anything and anyone around away. He felt different. He felt like he had no control. He felt unstable. He felt like a monster. Just as he could feel himself losing control over whatever was happening, an explosion rang out, a clash of colors. Then he was falling, falling to the ground, too broken to float safely down. And just as he thought he would hit the ground, a soft voice whispered in the back of his mind. _This is not your end._

Everything went dark.

He slowly felt himself come to consciousness, his eyelids heavy. But when he could finally open his eyes, he was shocked. He was floating in space, surrounded by his bubble. He was hurtling through the cosmos at a considerable speed, miraculously not hitting anything. His eyes squinted as the sun revolved in and out of view. _Wait, the sun?_ Finding a way to right himself, Steven surveyed his surroundings. Needless to say, he was shocked. His gaze landed on a somewhat familiar blue-and-green planet, surrounded by a smaller, white celestial body. The Earth.

How had he gotten here from Homeworld?

As Steven watched, brow furrowed and utterly confused, a flash of light off to the side caught his eyes. And right before his eyes, what he could only assume was a wormhole appeared out of thin air, and from it, a set of... five mechanical lions emerged. He blinked in alarm. Were those Homeworld ships? They couldn't be. He'd never seen anything like them. Besides that, the only ships in their size scale were the Diamond ships and ships lent to gems with a big mission. Even then, they were shaped like body parts. Why were these shaped like an animal?

The head of one of the Lions, a smaller green one, swung in his direction, which startled Steven. Well, maybe they were friendly, like the Off Colors? He could only hope. The Green Lion seemed to alert the others, as soon enough, all five ships were coming in his direction at a surprising speed. Before he knew it, they were surrounding him on all sides, checking him out. He felt self-conscious, drifting in the circle with his only protection being his ever-faithful bubble. He slowly revolved to face all of them, taking them in. The smallest one was the green colored lion, with a thinner frame and a lithe body. It had a shield attached to its back. The next one his eyes landed on was a broad, yellow one, with an emphasized under-jaw and many layers or armor. The next was a smaller blue colored lion that seemed to be an even mix; a bit broader but smaller than the yellow one. The red one next to it was smaller than the others but larger than the green one, with a more lithe and feral frame. The largest was a black lion with red and white wings on the back. He blinked up at the lions, wondering whether he was a new toy, a friend, or prey.

Steven felt his stomach sink as one of the lions, the green one that had initially spotted him, opened it's mouth. Steven began moving away from it, pressing himself against the refinements of his bubble. The lion dipped to scoop him up, and Steven feared the worst, closing his eyes and bracing himself. However, when he felt them moving again, he cracked open an eye to notice that he was in what looked like a holding bay for the ship. He frowned, clearing his throat. **"Um, where are... you taking me?"** he asked tentatively, waiting for a response. When none came, he bit his lip, laying back against his bubble. He probably should've relaxed, but he was too wound up from the series of events that led to him being in his current predicament. He wasn't going to take any chances.

Eventually, he felt a bit of turbulence, then, a few moments later, a solid _thump_ on the ground. He rolled momentarily before settling down, staring around. Then he felt the jaw bay lower and he felt himself slide slowly out of the ship, landing on the solid, dust-covered ground below. He sat up in the bubble and rubbed his head, wincing from the landing, before standing up and staring around. Where was this? He didn't recognize this part of the world. Looking around showed him that they were near an interesting, futuristic looking city. The closest thing he could compare it to was Empire City, and even that could not compare to the complexity of wherever this was. However, they were closer now to what looked like a base; one surrounded by various ships of all shapes and sizes, colored in white, black, and orange, going in and out of a large compound and an ever larger ship. People of all diversities were milling about, intermingling, and what appeared to be aliens also talked to them. It was a mingling ground for species of all kinds. It was a bit much to take in, especially since Steven thought the only extremely advanced aliens were the gems.

He felt a tap on the bubble and turned to see that a small person had emerged from the lion that had brought him here and was waiting patiently, a small smile on her face. She wore a pair of glasses over golden brown eyes that matched her pale brown hair. She wore a green set of armor that fit her small build, and in her other hand, she had a helmet propped against her hip. She seemed to be dying of questions to ask him but was barely holding it back to have decent courtesy to someone they just rescued from drifting in space. Even though Steven had never met her before nor spoken to her, he could tell she was a good person.

Steven felt a few more eyes on him and turned as the pilots of the other lions seemed to emerge, coming over as well. The one who was piloting the yellow lion was bigger in size and stature, and despite what could have been an intimidating appearance, he seemed all smiles and cuddles. He was already smiling, and the sun seemed to help his darker complexion radiate warmth. The one piloting the blue lion was slim and beautiful, and looked like an alien; she had pointed ears and white hair pulled back into a slightly messy bun. Her eyes were blue with pink irises, with matching markings underneath her eyes, wherein the color paralleled her armor. Something about her made Steven think of a princess, and, well, she very well could be. The one who emerged from the red colored lion was tall and lanky, with a smooth, almost tan looking complexion. His hair was a bit on the lengthier side but still controlled, brunette in color. His armor matched his eyes- both blue in color. Then the last was of a matching height to the previous pilot, with runaway raven hair that had started as a mullet and went past his shoulders. His eyes were a deep purplish black color, and he had a scar running the length of his chin to his cheek on the right hand side. His armor was also not reminiscent of the color he piloted, as he wore red-colored armor. Steven found it kind of odd that the ones who had emerged from the green and yellow colored lions had a matching set of armor to their ship, but the other three did not.

After working up enough courage and seeing that they weren't immediately hostile, Steven slowly released the bubble, letting it disappear and exposing himself to this unnatural world. It was hot, that much he could tell. This wasn't a place friendly for his customary pink sandals, and he felt like he stood out with his pink t-shirt with its signature yellow star and his shorts, especially when the others around him were simply wearing full-body armor.

 **"Um... hi."** Steven said, a slight, nervous chuckle escaping his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. **"Thanks for saving me?"** He really wasn't sure what to say in such a situation, especially since, well, he didn't know these strangers. Or where he was. Or how he'd ended up out in space in the first place.

The young raven-haired man offered a soft smile and took a step forward. **"Oh, you're welcome."** he said, almost seeming surprised at being thanked for doing what he felt was natural to do in seeing someone lost in space.

The smallest girl took a few steps forward, looking at Steven with great interest and a bright smile. **"How did you do that?"** she asked, giddiness clear in her tone.

Steven felt a little lost, then raised an eyebrow. **"How did I... make my bubble?"**

The girl nodded. **"Yeah, that! That pink bubble you were in the entire time! Nothing we've met before can do that. What was it? Was it some sort of technology you made? Do you have it on you? How does it work?"** she asked, ecstatic. One look from the others, though, told her it wasn't the time or place. **"Erm, that can wait."**

 **"How did you end up in space?"** the pilot in the blue armor asked, a hand on his hip. **"Pidge is right. You had nothing but that... bubble... and I've never seen you before."**

The larger teen nodded. **"Um, yeah. Ever since we chased the Galra away, we've been helping resettle everyone. But I don't recognize you, or whatever that bubble was. What are you, some kind of part-alien like Keith?"**

The raven-haired male, or Keith, narrowed his eyes. **"He's certainly not part-Galra. But that definitely isn't something a human could do without special technology, which, if I'm not mistaken, you don't seem to have on you."**

The woman in the pink armor moved closer, leaning down to be at Steven's height. **"Oh, don't mind them. They're... not the best at this sort of thing yet."** she joked lightly, smiling. Steven could already tell he would like her. **"So then, what's your name and story, if you don't mind us asking?"** she inquired. The other paladins, who had been bantering in the background, overheard this and immediately stopped to pay attention.

 **"Oh,"** Steven let out another nervous laugh, feeling a bit odd being put on the spot. **"Hi, uh, I'm Steven. Steven Universe. I, uh... I don't know how I ended up in space,"** he added, before glancing at the largest paladin. **"I'm not this... what did you call it? Galra creature that you spoke of. But you're not off about the part-alien thing,"** Steven lifted up his shirt, revealing his gem. He could feel the others staring at it in mixed awe and curiosity. Steven stopped speaking momentarily as well, taken aback. He hadn't looked at his gem the entire time, but now he could see it was... different. It wasn't quite in the stable state it had been all of his life, but it also wasn't in the infamous form it took as Pink Diamond's gem. It was somewhere in the middle; not quite a Rose Quartz and not quite a Pink Diamond. He let out a nervous cough-laugh, not exactly knowing what to do. None of the other Gems were here, far as he knew, and he had never seen his gem rotate before. He wasn't even sure he could rotate his gem until now. Steven wasn't sure what this meant either. Realizing he'd left his sentence up in the air, he quickly cleared his throat and finished it. **"I, ah, I'm half-alien. Half-Gem, to be precise."**

The small girl, Pidge, adjusted her glasses, staring at the gem. **"That's quite interesting. But we've never heard of this Gem race you refer to. Maybe they're an alien species we've never met?"** she said, asking the question to the others, who simply shrugged.

 **"Well, whatever the situation, I'm glad we got you back to Earth safely. It's no fun being stranded out in space."** Keith remarked, and the other paladins nodded in agreement. If Steven had to guess, they had been stranded in space once.

Steven cracked a smile. That was something he could relate to. **"Yeah, no kidding. It can get scary."** he let out a laugh.

The blue armored paladin frowned. **"You've been stranded in space, too?"**

Steven gave a nod. **"It's a... long story."**

 **"Well, the story can wait. We need to report back to the Atlas. We can also introduce Steven to the others while we're there, see if anyone knows him or can help us find him a place to stay while he's here."** Keith remarked, beginning to walk off. The other paladins turned to follow suit. The alien woman stood up and straightened out, her smile soft and kind. She gestured to Steven to follow them, and as Steven joined them on their walk to the large ship he'd spotted earlier, she fell in beside him, not saying anything but giving off a kind aura nonetheless.

Along the way the group was met with various crowds of people offering their greetings and thanks. Steven could tell that whoever he was now with, they were regarded as heroes to these people. The respect they showed them was a kind one, not one built out of the tyranny the Diamond Authority used, but one more akin to the Crystal Gems; a respect built on the co-existing bond between the hero and the ones they saved. It was then that Steven truly decided he would trust these five people, even if he had never met them before. If they could garner such respect out of these people without having to be tyrannical, then that meant they were the kind of people who would save someone without a second thought. That was an ideal Steven could get behind.

Once they entered the ship, Steven had to take a moment to admire it. It was a large vessel, with many rooms, hallways, and offshoots. He knew he would definitely get lost if he wasn't careful in this place. It was like one giant maze of houses. People went in and out, carrying clipboards, papers, or even just casually walking with their hands in their pockets. Most wore an orange and white uniform, but some had varying degrees of other clothing, while few had a dark gray uniform. He was so lost in admiring this new place that he almost bumped into Pidge as they stood in front of a large door, opening it by pressing a hand console. The doors retracted to reveal a Bridge; a spacious control room filled with people milling about and pressing orange holograms, talking to each other and running diagnostics. In the middle, four people stood in deep conversation, which immediately broke apart when the group of six entered the room.

A young woman with glasses went and hugged the paladin with the blue armor, a happy smile on her face. If Steven had to guess, they were siblings; their skin tone and hair color were almost identical. The next was a sturdy looking stern gentleman with a darker skin tone and a closed eye. The third was an older man with gray hair, a pair of glasses, and a bright smile. The last was a tall, interesting man with white hair and a detached, floating prosthetic arm. He could tell that the latter was the leader of this area; it was the kind of aura he sensed from him, at least, and the way the others looked at him. Hugs were exchanged among the group, and Steven stood off to the side, feeling more than a little awkward.

 **"You're back!"** The white-haired leader exclaimed, giving Keith a hug. He pulled back, a smile on his face. **"So, how did the mission go?"**

Keith's facial expression faltered. **"Still no signs of the Altean colony. Haggar must've done something with them, though, for them to be attached to those machines."** he said, a sad look obscuring the smile that had been there moments before. **"Sorry, Shiro."**

 **"Don't be. You tried your best. We'll just have to keep looking,"** Shiro comforted, before finally taking notice of Steven. **"Oh! Who's this?"** he asked, peering around Keith to look at the short fourteen-year-old. Steven immediately began to feel self-conscious.

 **"Oh, this is Steven. Steven Universe,"** The red paladin said with a smirk, gesturing to Steven. **"When we got back through the wormhole, we found him drifting out in space in a pink bubble."**

Shiro quirked a brow, folding his arms. **"Why was he stranded in space in a bubble, Lance?"** he asked, eyes zeroed in on the half-gem.

It was Steven who answered this time. **"I don't know how I got out there, actually. I, uh, was in a bit of a bind, and I was in a lot of pain, and then there was an explosion, and everything went black, and-"** he realized he was starting to panic thinking back on it, and rambling, so he calmed his speech. **"And I was in space, looking at Earth. Except this isn't Earth. Where are the warp pads? The Gems? I was on Homeworld before with my friends, my family. Where are they?"**

The yellow armored paladin gestured with his hands for Steven to calm down. **"I'm a bit lost. You mentioned these 'Gems' before, but not this Homeworld place. We've never heard of a place like that. As for this not being Earth, well, this is the only Earth out there."**

 **"You're not wrong, Hunk. Unless..."** Pidge said, furrowing her brow. She gave Steven a measured look. **"These 'Gems' you mentioned... have they been on Earth?"**

Steven gave her an almost disbelieving look. **"Of course they have. They've been defending the Earth from Homeworld for almost six thousand years! And sure, the Gems aren't widely known, but they're everywhere in the history books!"**

The others exchanged a worried glance, and Pidge knelt down to be on Steven's level. **"Steven... there's never been aliens on Earth before. Not ones that have interacted with history throughout the ages. Not, at least, on this Earth."**

Lance gave Pidge a confused look. **"What are you implying, Pidge?"**

Hunk rolled his eyes at Lance. **"Don't you get it, Lance? She's saying-"**

Steven's eyes widened. **"I'm in an alternate dimension."**

Pidge nodded, standing up, and Lance seemed to finally understand. **"Wait, but- how? Only ships made with trans-dimensional material like the Lions and Lotor's ships could go into alternate dimensions! And you weren't even in a ship!"**

Steven threw his arms out. **"How would I know? I don't even know where I am, or who anyone is, and-"** he felt tears welling up, and he clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. **"And I probably left them all on Homeworld, to White Diamond's mercy."**

The others looked like they were about to ask a question when Shiro moved forward, placing his non-prosthetic hand on Steven's shoulder. **"Listen, take a deep breath and calm down. We're just as confused as you are on this whole situation. But, I believe we can make this work."**

Steven rubbed the tears away, raising an eyebrow. **"You do?"**

Shiro gave a nod, then glanced at the others. **"For years, we've been fighting against the Galra, a conquering race that ruled most of the universe for ten thousand years. But lately, we've been having to deal with a whole new kind of enemy that can destroy anything we throw at them. We think the one sending them, a corrupted Altean named Honerva, like Allura here but nastier, is hiding out in a dimensional rift, moving place to place. Maybe something like that brought you here."**

Steven furrowed his brow, not quite sure how that all added up, especially since it seemed like an explosion on his side triggered something that pulled him into whatever this dimension was. But if this explanation meant there was a solution to his current predicament, he'd accept it.

 **"So, what you're saying is..."** Allura began, starting to put the pieces together.

 **"If whatever she's doing is pulling people from other dimensions, then there may be a way that we could reverse that process."** Pidge concluded.

Shiro gave a nod, and Steven felt a glimmer of hope rising in his chest. If something had brought him here, then something could put him back, too. Shiro ruffled Steven's hair a slight bit, giving him a fond smile. **"Don't worry, Steven. We'll find a way to get you home."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the story spoils "Legs From Here To Homeworld", and as I will be using recurring characters from Steven Universe after events in the current series, I added that spoiler tag.
> 
> I'm adapting the Voltron side of this story from the direct events of season 7, and as such, that spoiler tag was added.
> 
> White Diamond partially pulled out Steven's gem, causing it to start corrupting his body as well as disrupting it; as such, it began to act out and retaliate because of Steven's pain and emotions, and the resulting events caused an explosion and indirectly helped with the dimension hop.
> 
> I figured, as Alteans are being used to power the newest enemy weapons in the series, it would be natural for Team Voltron to go out searching for the Altean colony again, as well as trying to discern where Haggar is, as she's the last key player left. It also provided a great excuse to have the paladins out in space already.
> 
> I figured it would be easier to have Steven enter the Voltron dimension by being in space so he could see the lions beforehand as well as not immediately be on Earth. I wanted it to be reminiscent of "Bubbled".
> 
> I do my best to keep the characters as close to their original mannerisms and selves in their respective shows as possible, but new situations usually illicit different reactions.
> 
> We haven't seen the last of the Crystal Gems, Connie, or the other Diamonds.


	2. Shooting Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven finds himself in the company of the Voltron Paladins and their coalition, and while they promised to help him find a way home, he's not quite sure they'll succeed. But while talking late into the night about important subjects, a few stars begin to fall from the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh heck sorry for the long delay! Kinda get sidetracked easily, haha.
> 
> I will try to put out the third chapter before a month has passed.

It was dark. He felt himself reaching forward, trying to feel for anything nearby. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open, and if they were, he certainly couldn't see anything in front of him. It was quiet. He tried to say something, scream, make any form of noise. But nothing was working. He felt his breath catch in his throat, and Steven pushed against the restricting feeling. He wanted it to end. He opened his mouth to try again, only to be met with a rush of water. It pressed against the back of his throat, and a stream of bubbles escaped past his lips. His eyes flew open.

He was under the water. How did he get here? He squinted his eyes against the sun rays that streamed into the murky blue surface, washing over him, cradling him. Another set of bubbles escaped his lips, and Steven felt himself choke on the water momentarily. It was then that he realized he didn't need to breathe. _Well, that's certainly not normal._ he thought, looking around. He was drifting in the sea, with nothing in sight. He couldn't see into the murky depths, but he also couldn't see anything above the surface besides the sunlight breaking through the waves. Steven furrowed his brow, moving his arms out. The water had no weight. Could he even move in this stuff? Deciding to test it out, he waved his arms in a casual breaststroke. Low and behold, he glided easily through what definitely should've been solid water. Interesting. He did a few more flips through the water, testing it out, before turning his attention back to the surface. A determined look crossed his face, and he pushed upwards to the surface. Upon getting there, however, he discovered it was solid; he could not break free of it. It was like a wall of glass.

Steven let out a sigh, a bit disappointed, when he heard it. A conversation, just off to the side. A quick glance around told him that, as before, nothing was in the water with him. So where was he hearing these voices? He turned his glance to the surface once more and saw a flicker of a shadow. Steven's eyes widened as he realized that someone was above the water. Pushing through the pressure-less water, he moved his way over to where he heard the voices talking, where he saw the shadow moving. As he moved closer, he began to hear snippets of what was being said.

 **"...must have happened."** a stressed voice declared in a warbled tone, distorted by the invisible current. **"....can't have... disappeared! ....impossible!"**

Steven frowned, realization crossing his face. _Is that... Pearl?_ He swam closer, pressing his face to the glass-like surface. It was then that he found himself looking over at a blurry silhouette of Pearl; and joining this silhouette were matching ones of the other Crystal Gems, Connie, even... _...Dad? The Maheswarans? Bismuth, Peridot, and Lapis? What are...?_ Steven placed a hand against the glass, confused. _Did they make it back to Earth?_

Another voice cut through the silence. Garnet. **"We don't... happened. It's... anything could have..."**

Steven began to feel frustrated. What was with their voices being so garbled that he couldn't even catch their full sentences? He tried to push closer to their positions, trying to see if getting closer would enable him to hear more than snippets. But the closer he seemed to swim, the further they seemed to go. As if they were moving with him. As if he were blocked from the full picture. It was like... he was watching it through a window, only able to hear part of it and unable to interact. How frustrating.

 **"But there's... get him back!"** a defiant voice declared. _Connie._ **"He can't- he... forever..."**

Steven felt his throat tighten. He didn't need to hear everything Connie had said to know what she meant. _There's a chance I could be gone for good._

The silhouette of Greg moved forward, looking exasperated. **"There's... be a... he was... right? Then... way for... him to... back!"**

The form of Garnet seemed to consider this, a hand moving to the glasses he couldn't see. But Steven could still recognize that pose. She was checking her future vision. **"...might be... If he... then we can... way. We could... re-create... and see... That's the.... see working."**

The other forms seemed to process what Garnet had proposed, and all made a nod of agreement. The form of Pearl turned away, staring off into the distance. Her last sentence came through loud and clear, and Steven could only guess it was the simplicity and shortness of the sentence that prevented it from being garbled. **"If that's what it takes."**

Steven felt himself drifting away, now pushed against a sudden current that was sucking him down, away from their silhouettes, away from their conversation. And when he tried to protest, his lungs were overrun with water again. He was going to die here. He was going to drown. The darkness closed in around him, enfolding him in its solidarity. And everything faded away, until it felt like nothing was left of him.

_**"If that's what it takes."** _

Steven woke with a start as he heard a knock against the door, and he sat up, breathing hard- now that he could breathe. It took him a few seconds to remember where he was and why he didn't recognize this place. _That's right. I got stuck in another dimension._ After his heart stopped racing so hard, he finally turned to acknowledge who had knocked in the first place. It was Romelle, an Altean he had been introduced to later the day before. She was a sweet, inquisitive girl, who didn't quite get other customs. In other words, she best helped Steven feel like he didn't stick out, as she also didn't really get what was going on.

Romelle gave him a smile, then a polite wave, which Steven returned. **"Ah, hello there, Steven! Good morning to you! I wasn't quite sure if I should've woken you up sooner, uh, sorry! Anyways, there's going to be a meeting soon about the situation, and I was asked by Shiro to get you. Hope I didn't interrupt something?"** she asked, clearly referring to Steven's disheveled room.

It was then that Steven actually got a good look at things. His hair was a mess, his shirt was riding up (as he had no pajamas), and his blanket was halfway onto the floor. He'd thrown his pillow off the bed and, if he felt the bedding, it was soaked with sweat. Feeling a little bit sheepish, he quickly tugged down his shirt and shook his head. **"No, don't worry. It was nothing."** he said, standing up. He quickly snagged the blanket and pillow, securing them onto the bed quickly, before awkwardly marching up to Romelle. **"Let's waste no time getting there!"** he said in a rush, wanting to avoid giving Romelle the opportunity to question what kind of dream he'd had. Romelle cast him a worried look, but didn't press into it further. They made their way through the maze of the Atlas corridors, getting stopped here and there by people who recognized Romelle or wanted to talk to the two of them. However, they were quickly dismissed, as Romelle had explained to Steven that they would be late otherwise. It was a bit sad, as Steven had started to like the people here, and they would always give him information on things he wasn't aware of in this universe. After passing through a few more doors (some of which had limited access) and crossing another hallway, they came upon a closed door. Romelle knocked, and upon knocking, the door did a quick scan of her fist. Recognizing the two, the door slid upon to reveal a rather packed meeting room. There was mostly standing room, as the fifteen chairs that could be placed around the table were already filled. It was a bit breathtaking for Steven, really, seeing how many people they had managed to fit. There were humans and aliens of all kinds alike, all having been invited and told of the situation. The Paladins, Shiro and the Atlas crew, and a few other officials of the Coalition had claimed thirteen of the seats. Two were left open for the late arrivals, Romelle and Steven, to take. Many of the other important Coalition and Rebellion members had agreed to attend as well and didn't mind standing. Romelle took a seat between Hunk and Allura, while Steven was given a seat beside Shiro and an alien he hadn't met before. Once they took their seats, the room quieted down, and the meeting began.

Shiro sat back, glancing around the room. **"We're all gathered here for a strategy meeting, really. To start it off, I will let Keith explain what happened on their mission to the coordinates we found in the latest Robeast."** The former paladin then gave a soft smile to Keith and let him take the lead. The latter cleared his throat, still a bit unused to speaking to such a large crowd where he held the authority.

 **"After we tracked down the location Pidge got from the Robeast, we were expecting to find the other members of the Altean colony; or at the very least, the sender of the Robeasts, who we believe to be Haggar,"** he paused, brows furrowed. **"All we saw was a brief flash of a dimensional rift before it vanished completely off of the scanners.**

Pidge gave a nod, inputting a hologram into the table to display. **"It's likely that Haggar is using these dimensional rifts to stay out of reach while still being able to create Robeasts. It can be assumed that's how she's able to get around so fast, and knows where we are."**

Lance gave a nod, arms folded. **"Which is a big no-no. We can't even attack her if we don't know where she's going to be."**

Shiro gave them each a nod in turn, a small, proud smile on his face. **"Thank you."** he turned to everyone else and spoke in a louder voice, **"It seems her current tactic is to try and disable us while staying safe, and as we're unsure of how to reach her through those dimensional gaps, we're at a bit of an impasse. Or, rather, I should say we _were_ at a bit of an impasse,"** he turned his gaze to Steven, eyes bright. **"Until Steven showed up, that is."**

The atmosphere in the room shifted, as did the gaze of those in the room as all eyes turned to look at Steven, who was fighting hard to not go red in the face from the sudden spotlight. He usually didn't mind attention, but that was with people he knew, people he'd grown up with, and it was for their sake. Having the tables turned on him was a bit unexpected. He shyly waved back, a small grin on his face. But it quickly faded as he mulled over what had been said. He didn't quite understand the entire situation, but he'd been explained most of it. What did he have to do with the solution, then? Was it because he came from another dimension? Then that would mean they expect he'd be able to come up with the best way of solving the problem, which, to be honest, he didn't know the cause in the first place. He wondered, though, what their suggestion would be.

Shiro cleared his throat to silence the room, then folded his hands together on the table. **"Steven was found drifting in space after hopping dimensions. Thanks to him, we know it is indeed possible for a human to go through these dimensional rifts. However, it raises another problem; if Steven could move between dimensions, then surely Haggar can, too. Or any form of other antagonistic sources."** turning to face everyone in the room, Shiro then added, **"Here's my proposal: until we know how to safely travel the dimensional rifts, we will not go chasing Haggar. We stick close to home and try our own way of hopping between them. We help Steven find a way to get home, then deal with the issue."** Raising an eyebrow, he asked, **"Any questions or objections?"**

The room fell into a quiet mutter, but none had anything they wanted to directly say. Then, a hand stuck up. It was Steven, looking a little conflicted. **"It's a good idea, but... would it even be safe for me to travel back? Or for that point, anyone to travel between them at all?"** he asked, a hand clenching his shirt above his gem. **"While I was able to make the switch, it messed me up in the process,"** he raised his gaze to stare at the others, concern evident on his features. **"We haven't known each other long, but I'm... unstable right now. If it can destabilize a half-human like me, there's no telling what such travel can do to anyone else, at least unprepared."**

Shiro smiled. **"You have a point. However, from what you said, you weren't prepared nor knew you could make the hop in the first place. We would be prepared, and we'd be going in with transdimensional vehicles. Besides, if Haggar is able to, surely, at minimum, Voltron with Allura helping could make the change. It's... not like we have a lot of options."** he said with a slight laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.

Steven cast his eyes down at his gem, a strained smile on his face. Was there anything he could do to change their minds? Then again, why was he trying to change their minds? Both sides needed to figure out how to traverse the gap. They couldn't afford to stay idle. Taking a breath, he gave a nod, his expression becoming sure and firm. **"If that's the case, then let's find a way."**

The room erupted in discussion, mostly merry, about various ideas and encouragements they had to contribute to the idea. While the talk evolved, Steven found his gaze drawn to Pidge. The young paladin had pushed her glasses up her nose and had an almost disconcerted look on her face. Her hands flew against a control panel on the table. She seemed to be checking something. Steven was about to ask what it was when Pidge sat bolt upright, an expression of shock on her face. **"Guys, we've got a problem!"**

The room immediately died down, and all eyes turned to the Green Paladin. The other paladins and Shiro crowded around Pidge. **"What's the problem?"** Shiro asked, a hand on his hip.

Pidge's hands clacked away at the keyboard, and a projection appeared on the table. It was a live feed from the satellites they had control of. **"The satellites just picked up a foreign signature. Something just came through a dimensional rift."** she explained, leaning in closer to examine the data. **"Let me see if I can enhance this."** she almost muttered, messing around with the data until the camera sharpened, zooming in on what had originally looked like one object. After the enhancement, however, it was obvious that it was five smaller materials that had suddenly appeared in the Earth's atmosphere.

Steven had gotten up and moved closer to the screen, curious. However, staring at the image, a frown etched itself onto his face. **"Hang on, let me see that."** he said, pushing through the crowd to get right next to the image. Upon closer inspection, Steven's eyes widened, and what he saw almost took his breath away. **"The... Crystal Gems?"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do love me some cliffhangers. Sorry, I'm evil like that.
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter, but the first chapter was only so long because it was technically the first chapter and prologue. Most chapters will be about 2,000 words in length from now on.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, comments, and bookmarks! I write this story for you guys!


	3. Reception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Crystal Gems end up scattered on the other Earth, it's up to Steven and Team Voltron to rescue them and reunite them. But will all go as smoothly as intended?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, sorry for the long wait again! I really will try to get better about getting chapters out more frequently!
> 
> Thanks for the lovely responses! I think I will continue this story, after all.

Steven almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. No, he knew he couldn't believe what he was seeing. _How had the Crystal Gems gotten here?_ he thought to himself, the thought echoing in his mind. Hadn't he gotten over here by random happenstance? If so, had they taken advantage of that, too? Or was there a method they discovered of hopping between the dimensions themselves? If that was the case... could they also figure out a way back home?

Pidge went swiftly to work attacking the keyboard for any information she could strip from it. Everyone else waited with a quiet tension that had been silently agreed upon, all holding their breaths despite themselves. After a few small strings of code popped up on the screen that the small paladin seemed to interpret, she cast a glance at the rest of the crew and Steven with her brown, almost amber eyes. **"This is strange. They appeared in the sky instead of space this time. Further, their trajectories indicate that they're heading five different directions. They look like they'll be landing in safe places, though." her glance settled quickly on Steven, before she returned her attention to the others. _"It might be in our best interest to rescue them and bring them back here. Steven, did they know a way here?"_**

Steven stared at her with a furrowed brow, trying to process the information. Well, he hopped they all landed safely. He wasn't worried about the Gems nearly as much as he was worried about Connie. The Gems could heal if they hit something undesirable, but Connie was human. She could be hurt or worse from such a fall. The only solace he found was that if Connie did get hurt, he could use his healing spit on her. Right? At Pidge's query, he blinked back to reality before shaking his head. **"They shouldn't. But if they're here now then it has to be because they discovered a way. Maybe they mimicked how I got here?"**

Pidge cupped her chin in thought, before slamming her hand into an open palm. **"Then they'll know how to hop between dimensions!"**

Shiro placed a hand on Pidge's shoulder, an understanding lighting his eyes and bringing a smile to his face. **"Then we would know how to get to Haggar."** Keith took a breath and ran a hand through his hair. **"Alright then, suit up. I'd normally say we should split up and retrieve them each separately, but... Well, they probably wouldn't take to strangers being their first greeting."** his eyes landed on Steven, and a brief smile flashed across his scarred face. **"We'll take one Lion out to each location and let Steven do most of the talking. They're his friends, after all; they'd listen to him better. Does that sound alright with everyone?"**

The group nodded, and Steven clenched his fists in anticipation. He'd be seeing the Crystal Gems again. Man, he hoped they were alright. Everyone stood, and Shiro glanced around the room. **"The meeting is momentarily adjourned. We'll reconvene at a later date."** he said, and everyone filed out of the room. Steven stuck with the paladins and Shiro's main crew as they filed out and made their way to the hangars. He'd only been to the hangars once, when he was being shown around. It was almost odd to be back there now, going out to save his friends and bring them back. It felt... right, in a way, to think about the Crystal Gems being here. They'd come for him.

They agreed to take the least intimidating of the Lions, and the Green Lion was decided upon for various reasons. Being the smallest of the Lions and nowhere near as imposing to the others in design, it would be less likely to cause a panic. There was, of course, the added fact that Pidge's Lion also had a cloaking feature in the case that the Crystal Gems weren't alone and they needed to go incognito. Pidge at the helm and the other Paladins, Shiro, and Steven crowded in, she punched in the nearest coordinates and took off. They were heading to the edge of Alaska. As they made their way, a thought tugged at the back of Steven's mind: he hoped the Gems would listen to him and accept the help of Team Voltron. At this point, it was evident they needed each other to solve their various problems.

The Lion slowly began to descend as they entered the Alaskan wilderness, and the scanners were turned fully on to navigate the area and find the foreign entity (it had been explained to him that, since he was from a different dimension, he had a different form of signature than those from this universe, and that was how Pidge had found him in the first place). The scanners blared red on the screen, and Pidge opened it on the main visor. A frame could be seen shakily emerging from the tangle of a bush, and Steven couldn't help but smile happily. There he could see Lapis and Amethyst struggling their way through the underbrush. They both looked okay, which was a relief to Steven. The fall hadn't been hard on them. He hoped the same could be said about Connie. He also noted that Lapis was wearing a slightly different outfit; still dark blue in color but it had a faint star pattern to the dress fringes. It looked good.

Pidge brought down her Lion for a landing, which immediately got the attention of both Amethyst and Pearl. Both lowered into their defensive positions, with Amethyst materializing her whip and Lapis commanding a nearby pond to her side, ready to use the water at any instant. They were both wary, just like he had been. He hoped that would never change. Pidge opened the hatch, and Steven made his way over to it, watching is open farther with each open. Once it was open enough to the point where he could start stepping out, he saw the look on his friends's faces change from one of wariness to one of relief as they recognized him. The sight made his heart leap, and with a hearty giggle, he almost stumbled on his way down to give Lapis and Amethyst a hug. The pretense of a fight forgotten, the water and whip discarded, the two Gems were pulled into a warm embrace by Steven as he was reunited with the two.

It had taken some convincing, and many reassurances that he was okay before the two had even considered going with Team Voltron. But after his various attempts and explanations to tell them the honest truth, that they were good, they both finally caved in. The Lion got a bit more crowded as they left to a coast in Portugal, where Pearl and Peridot had landed. After that, it was a trip to Australia to pick up Bismuth, an excursion to Antarctica for Garnet, and lastly, a visit to Cuba to grab Connie. To Steven's utmost relief, they were mostly unscathed, having their falls slowed by foliage or, in Connie's case, having the wisdom to bring a parachute along and a slow descent to warm, tropical waters. He was finally back with his friends, and the reunion was rather sweet, even for the paladins and Shiro, who were mainly just glad that the dark sensation that had been clinging to Steven had gone away.

They were back in the hangar after having landed, and were making their way into Atlas, when Steven's step faltered and he almost tripped. The others turned to glance at him, concerned. Connie, the closest, went to touch his shoulder. **"Steven-"** she began, placing her hand on the fated spot. As her flesh made contact with his shirt, there was a sudden emptiness there, and Connie found her hands and fingers suddenly falling. Steven's shoulder had lost its mass, and the look of it had almost become translucent. A sudden, aching pain jolted through his system like he was shocked, and his entire form began to waver and glitch, like a Gem's would if their gem had damage. This caused a few outbursts, and those who weren't close by certainly were now.

Steven felt strange. Really strange. Like he wasn't fully there. Hadn't he had the same feeling, when he was dreaming? That's right, his dream. A light bulb went off in his head, and he swiftly moved back, with a warning emitted from his lips. **"Stop. Don't touch me."** he said, giving himself some space. Talking a few calming breaths, he managed to slide to the floor, his other hand pressed against his head. **"Pidge,"** he said, turning to the small paladin. **"Do a scan of me. I need to know something."**

Pidge had a bewildered expression on her face, and she adjusted her glasses out of habit. She felt like everyone else right now; like she wanted to help but didn't know how to. Pulling out her amplified phone, she frowned, quirking an eyebrow. **"What're you looking for, Steven?"**

Steven let out a quiet breath and brought his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. **"This is going to sound strange,"** he admitted, feeling a bit nervous to be bringing it up now. **"But I had a strange dream last night. It was like I was disconnected from the world. Then I heard the Gems and a plan they were discussing-"**

He was cut off by Garnet now, who was adjusting her glasses. **"I thought I sensed something. That was you, wasn't it?"**

Steven cast a confused look to her. How had she known? Then he remembered her future vision, and the realization dawned on her, just as it was beginning to dawn on everyone else. **"Yeah,"** Steven said, his brows furrowing. **"You were talking about how to get over here, weren't you?"**

Lance was starting to feel a bit exasperated. **"Okay, but what does that have to do with anything? Is there something we're missing?"** he asked, and it was evident by his voice that he didn't like how everyone was talking in circles.

Pidge had been quiet, scanning Steven upon request while the others were talking. **"Uh, guys, you might want to look at this."** she said, projecting a hologram of the scan's results. When hovered over Steven, his outline began to glitch and blur, and the energy readings off to the side kept spiking drastically. **"Steven was onto something. There's something wrong."**

Steven felt a cold sweat start to form on the back of his neck, and warily, he lifted his shirt to look at his gem. What he saw made him tense up, just as it made the others, especially the Gems, do as well. His gem was almost opaque. It kept moving back and forth in an almost manic fashion, never staying in one place. It was glitched, unstable, and every time it glitched, his arm and body did as well. He let his shirt fall and the breath he was holding out, and he shakily stood up again. **"I knew it,"** he said, with certainty this time. **"That dream had me thinking. It was almost too surreal to be a coincidence. When I had seen the state of my gem, it made me wonder if I was fully here."**

An understanding dawned in everyone's eyes, and Pidge voiced the concern. **"You're still caught between dimensions,"** she murmured, before she frowned, and quickly swung the device over to the other Gems. When she started getting the same readings, slightly lessened, her eyes widened. **"You all are."**

A frown had etched itself onto Connie's face, and you could practically see the cogs turning in her head. **"If that's the case, then that means we can't stay here long. Travel to another dimension would cause the intruder to not fully pass through; not with the method we used, anyways. If that's true, then-"**

**"If we were to team up to face our enemies together, then we'd constantly have to switch dimensions to keep everyone together."** Keith finished.

The group had fallen silent, contemplating the fact. It would mean that, unless they found another way, if they went over to the Gems's universe, then Team Voltron would be in the same predicament. They couldn't fight in one place for long. They'd have to constantly move. It was never stated, but it was a thought lingering in all of their minds; what if they didn't get back to their own dimension in time? Would they simply cease to exist?

The thought was cut short as, without warning, a large Robeast dropped into the area through a dimensional rift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love cliffhangers, sorry. They give you more of a reason to keep reading, haha.
> 
> This one was longer than I thought it would be, and I definitely could've made it longer, but some things don't really need to be explained in fervent detail.
> 
> Oh, and don't worry. It'll only get faster from here.
> 
> I had to re-edit the chapter since, for whatever reason, it ignored the paragraph formatting most of the way through! Now it's back up, sorry for the wait!


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